title: The PreventCD Study design: towards new strategies for the prevention of coeliac disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  PreventCD (www.preventcd.com) is a European multicentre study, which studies the influence of infant nutrition, and that of genetic, immunologic and environmental factors, on the risk of developing coeliac disease (CD). The hypothesis is that it is possible to induce tolerance to gluten by introducing small quantities of gluten to infants, preferably while they are still being breast-fed, and that this might also reduce the risk for related autoimmune disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the design of this ongoing European CD research project.
  
  
  METHODS
  PreventCD encompasses two study designs and two study populations: (i) a European multicentre study: a prospective, double-blind, randomized dietary-intervention study among infants from families with high risk of CD, and (ii) a Swedish population-based CD screening study among 12-year-olds from the general population, divided into two birth cohorts that differ with respect to infant feeding practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PreventCD is expected to elucidate some of the genetic and immunological mechanisms involved in the process of immune intolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. c.e.hogen_esch@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Caroline Elisabeth
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hogen Esch
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosén
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Auricchio
authors.forename: Jihane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romanos
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chmielewska
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Putter
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivarsson
authors.forename: Hania
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szajewska
authors.forename: Frits
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koning
authors.forename: Cisca
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wijmenga
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Troncone
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mearin
mesh_terms: D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004777:Environment; D005060:Europe; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005983:Glutens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D005983:Glutens